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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2012
Staff, ex-inmate disagree about city jail conditions
Donald Shuffelen, left, a former Kent city jail inmate, says conditions need to improve at the facility. STEVE HUNTER,
BY STEVE HUNTER shunter@kentreporter.com
Donald Shuffelen recently spent 38 days as an inmate in the Kent city jail and called conditions inside “horrific.” He didn’t like the overcrowd-
Kent Reporter
ing, toilets that wouldn’t flush, water too hot to take a shower and drinking water too warm to drink. “I think the city of Kent should know how people are being treated,” said Shuffelen, of Kent, about his reason for going
public with his complaints. “My thing is not revenge. But if your (cell) partner takes a dump at 3 in the morning you shouldn’t have to smell it until 7.” City jail administrators said [ more JAIL page 4 ]
Mayor proposes new B&O, cable taxes; cuts 20 jobs BY STEVE HUNTER shunter@kentreporter.com
Kent Mayor Suzette Cooke presented her 2013-14 proposed budget Tuesday night to the City Council that includes a new business and occupation (B&O) tax and a cable television utility tax. Cooke also announced the elimination of 20 jobs by Nov. 1, including eight current employees
and 12 vacant positions as the city struggles to balance its budget. Two of the vacant positions are police officers. “A B&O tax is a tax I hate because it’s a tax based on gross revenue and not income and that does not make sense,” Cooke said to the council at its workshop. “But I’m also limited in the revenues I can call upon to balance the budget.” [ more BUDGET page 5 ]
Group’s pitch carries Heidi’s spirit BY TRACEY COMPTON tcompton@rentonreporter.com
A new short film on drug and alcohol prevention seeks to tell teens and adults alike that they aren’t the only ones affected by the consequences of reckless behavior. “It’s Not Just You” comes from the nonprofit, Kent-based organization Heidi’s Promise. It tells the true story of the fatal car crash that ended the lives of teenagers Heidi
Reaching high A participant jumps to scale “Everest,” one of the many difficult obstacles of the Tough Mudder Washington competition last Sunday at the Palmer Coking Coal Company, off the Maple Valley/Black Diamond Road. Tough Mudder Washington is a hardcore, 12-mile obstacle course designed by British Special Forces to test strength, stamina, mental grit and camaraderie. The large field had to negotiate such obstacles as “Kiss of Mud,” “Arctic Enema” and “Electroshock Therapy.” More photos, story, page 8. RACHEL CIAMPI, Reporter
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Munson and Nicholas Spies in 2004, and is narrated by Heidi’s father, Eric, also the president of Heidi’s Promise. In April 2004, 25-year-old Joshua Heidi Munson Blum was found to been drinking, smoking marijuana and taking [ more HEIDI page 2 ]
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The Kent Reporter dedicates this pink edition to the cause. Coverage, pages 6, 10
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